Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Humanitarian camps are supposed to offer refugees shelter, not turn them away

On Thursday 7 July, six Afghan men were refused entry to the migrant camp in Grande-Synthe. The town council that manages the site in partnership with the French government and the camp manager, the AFEJI, now states that men travelling alone will not be allowed access to the camp. A decision which comes amid growing pressure put on refugees and migrants by authorities in northern France.

Yet this is not the first time refugees and migrants attempting to enter Grande-Synthe camp have been turned away. Between 22 June and 2 July alone, MSF documented 34 people – including 3 minors, 1 disabled man and 1 pregnant woman – who were initially denied access to the site. They were turned away by the camp’s manager, the AFEJI, even though there was enough space to accommodate new arrivals.

Set up in March 2016, the camp was constructed to offer shelter to all refugees and migrants needing safe lodging and access to basic services. As such, MSF is extremely concerned by this development and calls upon the French government to overturn this decision immediately, replacing it with a real policy of assistance in the north of France.

“By denying people access to the camp, the authorities in charge of running it are negating its very purpose; which is to provide refugees and migrants with decent living conditions regardless of who they are” explains MSF’s Head of Mission, Franck Esnée. "Politicians are taking increasingly risky decisions that violate these peoples rights. On the ground, these decisions are making it more and more difficult for people to seek protection whilst simultaneously worsening living conditions."

In addition, local government officials recently posted a letter in the camp threatening to evict migrants if they stayed too long. This goes against the founding principles of the camp that MSF constructed in partnership with the Grande-Synthe Mayor and MSF stresses that this camp must remain open to all seeking refuge. No restrictions on entry or access to services should be put into place if the camp's capacity has not been reached.

“Restricting entry to the camp will have disastrous consequences on people in need of assistance” concludes Esnée. Alongside the numerous volunteers and partner organisations that work in the camp, MSF is determined to prove that an alternative policy for receiving and welcoming refugees and migrants does exist.